MELBOURNE, Australia, June 24, 2015 – Author, coach and survivor of depression Jeremy Godwin has announced a Kickstarter campaign to support his new book, “Depression? F*** Depression”, a memoir and self-help guide about surviving and thriving with a mental illness based on his personal experiences and extensive research. The campaign is running until July 16 and backers are sought to support the publication and promotion of his new book, in order to offer a voice of hope to those who need it most.
Godwin, who openly discusses several suicide attempts in the book, stated that he aims to help the millions who experience a mental illness each year by publishing a positive book full of practical advice from someone who has actually experienced what it is like to live with a debilitating disorder (in his case, depression and anxiety).
“Up to one in four people will experience a mental illness in any given year,” Godwin stated. “In the United States alone, that’s more than 80 million people in 2015. Here in Australia it’s thought to be one in five, which is over 4.7 million. Yet when I was going through my darkest times, it was hard to find any books written by someone who had been through what I was going through; someone who actually knew what it was like to be thinking about ending it all. This isn’t just a book – this is 250 pages of hope.”
Mr Godwin has, fortunately, recovered from the worst of his depression and anxiety and is midway through a three-year Psychology degree. “I wanted to better understand what mental illness was all about, and I was inspired by the professionals who helped me through,” he said. In addition to his studies, he is a highly-experienced coach who draws from his extensive professional experience (having spent 15 years in the corporate sector, in a variety of leadership roles) to support individuals in their personal and professional development.
When asked about the provocative title of the book, Mr Godwin laughed. “It’s deliberate. I want to grab people’s attention, because mental illness is often treated as a taboo subject. And frankly, what’s the bigger issue in our society – a rude word, or the quality of life of the one in four people experiencing mental illness? We need to do something. We’ve lost high-profile people, like acclaimed actor Robin Williams, so we need to challenge the status-quo and talk openly about this important subject. My book does this, and it also explores practical ways for readers to develop their mental health and wellbeing. This book is a turning point for me – it’s my way of taking control by bringing hope to others. Now I simply need people to get behind me and back my project, so that I can publish and promote my book.”
Mr Godwin’s Kickstarter campaign is open until July 16 at http://kck.st/1ejpOmH and he is seeking to raise $8,700 (Australian Dollars). “The funds will be used to publish my new book in print, eBook and audiobook formats, and to promote my book through various advertising forums – any funds that I raise over my target will be used to offer free mental health and wellbeing forums here in Australia and potentially in other countries, because I want to get out and talk to as many people as possible about surviving and thriving in spite of mental illness,” he explained.
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